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August 29, 2025
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Picking a prep provider to help you succeed in your pursuit of the prestigious CFA designation can be difficult. Each provider offers different prep packages and individual study materials specifically developed to give you the best chance at passing each CFA exam. In this article, we compare Kaplan Schweser vs. Wiley to help you understand which products and services have proven to be most helpful and favored by CFA candidates.
CFA Prep Package Comparison
Cost Differences
Pass Protections
Practice Questions
Mock Exams
Prep Course Formats
Final Reviews
Kaplan Schweser vs. Wiley CFA Summary
CFA candidates rely on high-quality, easy-to-use study materials designed by experts that closely mimic the actual exam. Recent candidates have expressed their overwhelming satisfaction with the mock exams, practice questions, and study notes offered by Kaplan Schweser compared to Wiley.
“94% of those surveyed who most recently passed the CFA® Level I exam and prepared with Kaplan Schweser believe that Kaplan Schweser played a significant role in helping them pass the exam”**
Kaplan Schweser | Wiley | |
|---|---|---|
Study Notes | ||
✔ | ✔ | |
Summarized Printed Study Notes | ✔ | ✔ |
Audio Study Notes | ✔ | ✖ |
Review | ||
✔ | ✖ | |
✔ | ✔ | |
✔ | ✔ | |
Practice | ||
✔ | ✔ | |
✔ | ✔ | |
✔ | ✔ | |
✔ | ✖ | |
Support | ||
24/7 Instructor Assistance | ✔ | ✖ |
Community (Including Forum Access) | ✔ | ✖ |
Study Tools | ||
Activity Feed | ✔ | ✖ |
Personalized Study Calendar | ✔ | ✔ |
✔ | ✖ | |
Analytics | ||
Basic Performance Tracker | ✔ | ✔ |
Advanced Performance Tracker | ✔ | ✖ |
Guarantees | ||
✔ | ✔ |
Kaplan Schweser and Wiley offer different CFA prep packages at different costs. Each provider’s prices are similar however candidates prefer Kaplan Schweser’s CFA prep packages over Wiley because Kaplan Schweser’s are seen by candidates as having a higher value and are more easily customizable for each person’s specific needs.
“Kaplan Schweser is used by more CFA Level I candidates than any other CFA exam prep provider. ”*
Package Tier | Kaplan Schweser Cost | Wiley Cost |
|---|---|---|
$1,499 | N/A | |
$1,099 | $999 | |
$799 | $699 | |
$429 | $399 |
Candidates that choose Kaplan Schweser’s basic exam prep package over Wiley will benefit from having additional features such as:
Unlimited 24/7 Instructor Assistance
Candidates that choose Kaplan Schweser’s Essential Exam Prep Package over Wiley will benefit from having unique features such as:
An Advanced Performance Tracker
“U.S. CFA Level I and Level II candidates consider Kaplan Schweser to be among the highest quality, most comprehensive, and easiest to use CFA exam prep providers in the industry.”*
Candidates that choose Kaplan Schweser’s Premium Exam Prep Package over Wiley will benefit from having unique features such as:
An Advanced Performance Tracker
Unlimited 24/7 Instructor Assistance
Candidates who choose Kaplan Schweser’s Ultimate CFA Prep Package over Wiley will truly benefit from having a unique prep package.
This all-inclusive study package from Kaplan Schweser contains the same Core + Instruction + Review tools found in the Premium Package and includes either the Live Online or OnDemand options for your Instruction and Review.
In addition, the Ultimate Package includes flashcards, an audio version of SchweserNotes™ for study on the go, the exclusive opportunity for an In-Person Mock Exam Simulation, and InstructorLink, which allows candidates to “link up” with an Instructor to ask an unlimited amount of questions.
The difference between the Study Tools that Kaplan Schweser and Wiley offer is one main differentiator. Kaplan Schweser offers an Activity Feed and a Personalized Study Calendar, which Wiley does not.
CFA candidates can rely on the Personalized Study Calendar to stay on track during their 6-month study plan and the Activity Feed will make sure their time spent preparing is optimized for success.
Kaplan Schweser and Wiley provide CFA Mock Exams as part of their CFA prep products. Both providers offer them in their prep packages and as an additional standalone product. They both also offer candidates the opportunity to compare scores with other candidates.
However, the most significant difference between Kaplan Schweser Mock Exams and Wiley Mock Exams is in the quantity of Mock Exams included with each Kaplan Schweser study package and the exclusive opportunity to take a Mock Exam In Person at an official testing center to get that true testing experience.
When preparing for each level of the CFA exam, candidates want access to an extensive collection of CFA practice questions that replicate the actual exam, particularly when piecing together self-study materials.
While both Wiley and Kaplan Schweser provide a large number of practice questions, candidates prefer Kaplan Schweser's QBank due to its close resemblance to the actual exam. Additionally, Kaplan Schweser's QBank allows candidates to personalize their experience by adjusting the question difficulties, and topic coverage, and creating custom quizzes, which Wiley does not.
Kaplan Schweser and Wiley both employ a hybrid teaching approach that prioritizes instruction tailored to the needs of CFA candidates. Each provider offers OnDemand videos and thorough coverage of every CFA curriculum topic.
Where Kaplan Schweser’s teaching style stands out is in its exam-focused approach, which cuts out extraneous material that is a distraction to candidates’ primary objective: passing the CFA exam.
Kaplan Schweser also offers live online options where candidates can interact with the instructor during class, which Wiley does not.
Kaplan Schweser and Wiley both provide online CFA course options, which include OnDemand videos and practice questions and quizzes. Each provider offers comprehensive video coverage of every curriculum topic, accompanied by detailed explanations of complex concepts and corresponding quizzes to assess your progress.
The most significant disparity between Kaplan Schweser and Wiley’s course formats emerges when candidates opt for Kaplan Schweser's Ultimate prep package. The Ultimate prep package offers additional benefits, such as access to Live Online or OnDemand class options, as well as a 5-day live online review workshop, which is not available through Wiley’s offerings.
Another difference between providers' course formats is in their Study Planners and Activity Feeds. Wiley has a study planner but it doesn’t break down all of the content into tasks over time. Kaplan Schweser’s Activity Feed breaks down individual tasks into daily/weekly assignments, which helps candidates keep track of their course progress more efficiently.
Candidates who choose to prep with either Kaplan Schweser or Wiley will undoubtedly have access to CFA experts who are hired to support them during their CFA preparation.
Where Kaplan Schweser stands out from Wiley is in the number of CFA charterholders candidates have access to. Kaplan Schweser has the largest number of CFA charterholders as instructors and subject matter experts who are available worldwide to support candidates.
Another advantage of Kaplan Schweser’s is its InstructorLink feature, which is included in the Ultimate Prep package. This feature allows candidates to “link up” with an Instructor to ask questions.
Additionally, all Kaplan Schweser prep package customers get access to an extensive CFA candidate community. In this online forum, candidates at all levels can ask specific exam questions and get quick answers about curriculum topics or difficult concepts, prep course features, popular investment management topics, and anything else they can think of. In the Kaplan Schweser Community, candidates can engage with fellow CFA candidates as well as expert CFA instructors all in the same place.
“Kaplan Schweser is used by more CFA Level I candidates than any other CFA exam prep provider.”*
When selecting an exam prep provider, CFA candidates seek top-notch quality, thoroughness, affordability, and user-friendliness, all of which Kaplan Schweser consistently delivers to all CFA candidates. In contrast, Wiley CFA Prep, offers fewer prep packages and less personalized study tools that candidates depend on to stay on track and succeed.
Typically, candidates rely on one exam prep provider and the CFA Institute's materials for either Level I or Level II, and Kaplan Schweser is the most popular choice among prep providers.
"92% of CFA Level I candidates who have used Kaplan Schweser to prep for CFA Level I agree that Kaplan Schweser played a key role in helping them pass the CFA Level I exam."**
Contact Kaplan Schweser directly for more information or choose the best CFA Program study package for you.
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* These are the findings of a quantitative survey conducted by Kaplan between June 30 and August 30, 2021. For this survey, a sample of 313 U.S. CFA Level I and Level II candidates was interviewed online. The survey was fielded to subscribers of 300Hours.com and AnalystForum.com.
** These are the findings of a quantitative survey conducted by Kaplan between September 29 and November 4, 2022. For this survey, a sample of 838 CFA Level I, II, and III candidates was interviewed online, of which 463 prepared for a CFA exam with Kaplan Schweser.
*** Source: Net purchases of study packages containing the printed SchweserNotes™ bookset from 2011 through spring 2022.